The One
by Minty4ever
Summary: Tony is at a party when he meets the one! R


**Hey guys! I know I should be working on ****_When the Past Meets the Future _**** But this kinda got stuck in my head. **

They were at a stupid party that Pepper had forced him to go to with the Avengers. After the big fight with Loki, he and Pepper had separated. She was too scared to keep on loving him after being so close to losing him. They remained friends, though, and she was still in charge of his schedule.

Tony had fought against going but that didn't matter. So here he was, all dressed up, with only a wine glass to entertain himself with. Of course, he wasn't really alone: Next to him, Steve was staring into his own glass, a look of disgust on his face (Alcohol was no longer enjoyable now that he couldn't get a buzz). While on the other side of Tony, Bruce was dumping his glass into Clint's, so he wouldn't "Hulk-Out."

The person in front of them was a college girl called Cherry. She was obviously set on getting her claws on one of them. Her obnoxious laughter was drilling into their skulls. Finally, Steve was able to excuse them as Fury started towards them.

Bruce groaned as the girl walked away. "Is it just me who has a splitting headache, now?"

Natasha laughed, imitating the obnoxious girl's "charming" laugh. "Well, buddy, if you drank you wine, then it would go away."

"And you guys would have a bigger headache to deal with." He retorted, chuckling.

Tony couldn't take the teasing conversation, tonight. He excused himself, saying that he was going to find some others to flirt with. Ignoring the teasing jabs at his ego, Tony walked towards a far corner of the big ballroom. There were tons of charming girls that were batting their eyelashes at the Iron Man. None, however, caught his eye.

Finding that he couldn't flirt with just one girl, he flitted from girl to girl, carelessly winking and laughing. He had just gotten a girl to laugh and he was walking towards the next, when he noticed Steve. He was listening intently to a girl who was gesturing wildly. They talked for a long time before their hands started to intertwine. Tony, frustrated that his skills were rusty from his time with Pepper, stomped over and told the girl, "You know he can't sit through a sad movie without balling his eyes out. He snores all night. And the chance of you getting laid tonight is nil." He smiled sweetly at the girl and missed seeing Steve's fist coming up to hit his shoulder. Surprised, Tony stumbled into a sofa against the wall. He straightened up to glare in to the bright red face of Steve.

"Hey!" Tony cried, rubbing his shoulder. Steve just shook his head and pulled the girl away from Tony. Tony glanced around the room, only to jump when an annoyed finger tapped him on the shoulder. He looked up, startled, into cold ice blue eyes. "You are sitting on my book," the owner of the eyes said, giving Tony a cold hard stare. He leaped up and grabbed the notebook before she could get it. The notebook was open on a page where a strange script was flowing across the page. At the bottom of the page, a short paragraph was written in English. He barely had time to scan it before it was snatched from his hands. He looked at the small lady in front of him.

She was of a medium height, maybe 5'4" and was amazingly beautiful. Light brown curls were pinned up into a loosed bun, while other curls bounced playfully free. Her tan skin brought out the natural gold highlights in her hair. He looked down at her feet to notice that most of her height came from silver heels that looked impossibly high. A light blue strapless dress was tightly pulled across her amazing body, showing of every curve. A silver shawl had fallen off of her shoulders to rest peacefully in the crooks of her elbows.

When Tony looked back into her eyes, her beauty was complete. She must have been stunning (not just beautiful) when her ice blue eyes weren't freezing him with a hard glare. He rubbed his shoulder nervously, "What script is that?" He asked, trying to be polite.

She bit her lip, obviously trying to decide if she should answer, "It's one of the many Indian ones," she said, curtly before turning (without tottering, Tony noticed) and sat back onto her sofa.

Tony stared at the girl. Nobody had ever done that to him. She hadn't stared or squeal or even call him Mr. Stark. Pepper had been a little cold to him at first but still held him in awe. This girl didn't even pay attention to him, Tony Stark!

"What are you doing, Beautiful?" He asked. Watching as her face turned a deep red. "You should be out here having a good time."

Although she was blushing immensely, she was able to come back with a curt reply. "I could say the same thing to you." Then she ducked her back into her book, pen ready to write. She sighed and put down the pen when Tony interrupted again.

"Why are you here?" He asked "I mean you are all dressed up, so it obviously wasn't a last minute decision. Why come if you were planning on writing – studying – or whatever you are doing- all night?"

She blushed again and looked down at her book. "My friend wanted to come. Of all her friends, I am the one least likely to compete for attention, so she wanted me to come." She blushed deeper (if possible) before adding, "She just wanted to come because she heard you guys were here."

That startled a laugh from Tony as he thought about the girl called Cherry from earlier.

"Really? Which one of us was the lucky one?" He finally choked out looking at the lady before him.

She shrugged, "She didn't say." She disappeared back into her book, losing herself in her writings. Tony watched fascinated as she smiled and frowned as she read, once in a while stopping to correct something. He suppressed a laugh as she slid out of her shoes to tuck her legs up by her side and then leaned back into the sofa that she was on. He was so engrossed in watching her; he jumped and almost screamed when a hand landed on his shoulder.

Cherry was standing by his shoulder. "Honey, don't you want to mingle with people who will talk? Poor Sabrina doesn't know how to talk and mingle." She laughed, but Tony frowned, but before he could say anything, Sabrina spoke up.

"Actually, Cherry, _Tony_ and I were just talking about the differences between a mistress and wife, since most men would rather wife." She nodded pointedly at the ring on Cherry's finger before smiling sickly sweet as Cherry turned the colored of her namesake and stomped off.

Tony stared at Sabrina, who quickly ducked her head, blushing.

"Sorry I've known her since high school. If she thought that we were on first name basis, she would be annoyed." Sabrina was still embarrassed and was nervously pushing curls out of her face. He just chuckled though. "Hey, hey, that's fine. We are on first name basis. But…" She looked up raising her eyebrows. "But now you have to tell me what you are doing."

She looked down at her lap and sighed, then said "It'd be better if we moved to a table."

When they got to a table, she started to spread out her papers. Tony stared at the strange script that covered multiple sheets. At the end of each page was the small blocky hand in English, the translation he guessed.

"This is the script for a village in the middle of south India. In six months, I am going there to teach the children and some adults to read, write, and do math in their language and English. Right now, I got permission from some storybook writers to translate their works into the village's language and an easier version of English." She took a breath and Tony looked up into her eyes.

They were bright with knowledge and excitement. They were so different than the eyes he had been greeted with. Her face flushed with happiness as she went on to explain about the village. He was so lost looking into her face that he completely missed her question.

"Sorry, What?" He asked shaking his head, trying to pay attention.

"Have you ever been to India?"

He furrowed his brow "Uh, no, not really, I've been close though.

She smiled and watched as he picked up a storybook. "Ah, the Giving Tree.: He smiled "I remember that story, I thought it was stupid." She looked at him surprised.

"Why? It's cute."

"I didn't get how anyone could give without receiving." He frowned. "I think I do now."

Sabrina frowned too, "Huh. I think that is all I have ever known. My father was a doctor. He was blessed with wealth from his father. So Papa went to third world countries and gave treatment to anyone who would come to him. All he asked for in return was a place to sleep and some food. As I grew up, I started to go on more and more trips with him. I saw so many things that a child shouldn't but that made me who I am." She twisted her hands together, "When Papa died four years ago, I started to work hard at earning this grant so I could go to this village." She looked at her hands. "I didn't take my life seriously until then. All I was concentrating on getting out of school and then marrying whoever my dad had made fall in love with me. Then, just going to parties." She looked up. "I guess you understand that, huh?"

He blushed (as much as Tony Stark could) and nodded, thinking about how he had always relied on his father's money and company.

"When Papa died, I saw how empty my life was. I am no doctor, but I can teach. So, that's why I am here all dressed up with a ton of books." She looked up into Tony's face. Her eyes were soft and shiny with tears for her father. Tony looking back into her saw that she was more beautiful than he had ever imagined. Her beauty was shining out to hit him, from her happiness, her kindness and her loyalty to her ability to change from a slacker to a determined lady.

After sitting there in silence both taking in what she had just confessed. Tony finally broke the silence, "Hey do you want to go on a walk? Get away from these people?

She smiled, "Sure, why not?"

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X -X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X -

She had pulled her shawl up on her shoulder, when a cold breeze had tried to pull it away. Tony had asked about her childhood and they were laughing at some story. Tony was enjoying himself so much that he didn't even notice that he hadn't said much. Usually he would have been annoyed, at the least, or smoking mad.

They stopped at the railing overlooking the city. She looked down and shuddered at the height. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Watch this," He whispered into her ear. She jumped and pulled out. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you."

She laughed nervously, "I'm not scared of that, I'm scared of… other things."

He laughed, "What are you scared of heights?" He rewrapped his arms around her waist, only this time they were covered in cold metal.

She jumped even higher, before letting herself relax into his arms. But she stiffened up as soon as he started to lift off. He heard his breathy chuckle as they steadied in the air. She looked over her shoulder and saw that he had left his mask off for once. He smiled when he caught her eye.

"Look down," He said. He had only one arm wrapped around her waist, while the other steadied them in the air.

She looked down and gasped, spinning in his arm to grab his neck. That breathy chuckle met her ears, as she breathed in deep trying to steady her breath.

"I was only teasing about you being scared of heights. I really didn't take you as one who would be scared." He whispered in her ear. She shivered as his hot breath ticked her ear.

"I didn't think I was." She looked down again only to snap her head back up. "I've never been this high up, though. "Well-not contained in something."

"But you are! You're in _my_ arm." They laughed, for now both content.

They flew, not talking, just looking at the lighted city below. When Sabrina started to shiver with the cold, Tony circled around back to the balcony. She stood looking out at the city she had just been flown across as Tony took off his armor. He came back to her and spun her around, catching her in an embrace when she was facing him. She was still shivering in his arms. "Are you cold?" He asked smiling.

When she looked up to answer, he closed the gap between them and kissed her softly. Instantly she tensed up and pulled away. She was breathing hard, hating herself for wanting to rush back into his arms. "I- I-" she stuttered, looking up at the confused Tony Stark. She sighed and bowed her head, "I can't."

He looked at her trembling on the balcony, flushed from excitement. "Why not? Is there someone else?"

"No, there's nobody else. Oh my," She said, her mind still reeling from what just happened. "I'm sorry if I lead you on. I didn't mean to. You got to understand that this wasn't supposed to happen." She started to back up. "I enjoyed tonight, thanks. I got to go."

She pushed passed him and hurried towards the door. "Sabrina, wait!" Tony called. She just looked back and gave a weak smile and a wave, then disappeared into the crowd of people. He lowered his arm, he had rushed her. He growled in frustration. His past probably freaked her out, too. For the first time, Tony regretted all those one night stands. If only he had known he would meet her tonight. He had one more chance in meeting her though. If he had Jarvis look up all the flights for India on the ninth of November.

**Is it done? I don't know. How about you guys choose? I can write more. So if you all review after you finish reading this. I will finish it! J Please, please, please Review this story!**


End file.
